Nucky Thompson's reign over Atlantic City is about to come to an end, as HBO has announced the upcoming fifth season of Boardwalk Empire will also be its last.

"It has been an incredible honor to bring this powerful and groundbreaking series to our subscribers," HBO programming president Michael Lombardo said in a statement. "Terry Winter has created one for the ages."

Winter, who created Boardwalk Empire and was a key writer on The Sopranos, said of the final season renewal, "After much discussion with my creative team and HBO, we've decided to wrap up the series after such a great run and look forward to bringing it to a powerful and exciting conclusion."

The decision to end Boardwalk Empire after five seasons echoes the recent move by AMC and Vince Gilligan to conclude Breaking Bad just as the drug drama's audience was on the rise (Mad Men will similarly come to a close next year). But like Breaking Bad, Boardwalk Empire has never been a show to pull its punches, killing its co-lead in the second season, and another fan-favorite character in the recent Season 4 finale. Now, there's an endpoint in sight, and while it's unclear exactly how Boardwalk will end, there's no doubt that the final season will make some waves.

The fifth and final season of Boardwalk Empire will roll out in the fall.